printing press

device for evenly printing ink onto a print medium

AI overview

A printing press is a machine that spreads ink evenly onto a surface to create printed copies of text or images. It matters because it made it possible to produce many identical copies of written or illustrated materials quickly and efficiently.

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Wikidata facts

Image: The Caxton Celebration - William Caxton showing specimens of his printing to King Edward IV and his Queen.jpg

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Commons category: Printing presses
Commons gallery: Printing press
time of discovery or invention: 1439-00-00

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A printing press is a mechanical machine that transfers ink onto materials such as paper or cloth by applying pressure to an inked surface. It marked a dramatic improvement on earlier printing methods, in which the medium was brushed or rubbed repeatedly to achieve the transfer of ink. The invention and global spread of the printing press was one of the most influential events in the second millennium.